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Reflection

Remember…that which is measured, MATTERS and whatever is recorded can be reflected upon. I don’t care if you have a photographic memory, if you never take the time to capture life as it occurs, you will have nothing to reflect upon. Considering your character is constantly evolving (there really is no such thing as staying the same) how will know what to replicate and what to eliminate?

A classic example of this fact in my life is triathlon. Each time I compete at the Ironman distance, I keep an activity log the week leading up to the race. In this log, I record my sleep quality and duration. I keep track of my workouts and how each effort felt. I also track my caloric intake giving detail to each meal consumed. By the end of the week I have a journal that becomes a permanent record to evaluate. Without fail, I always look back at these logs to tweak accordingly. I can say with confidence that from the time I completed my first Ironman in 2008 to the one I just completed in June, I have gotten faster! There are certainly no shortage of details with regard to Ironman truing and racing with which I could give my focus, but the things that I have deliberately chosen to reflect upon allow me to surrender everything else.

There is tremendous relief in knowing what matters and what does not. I used Ironman racing as an example but this could just as easily be applied toward finding the right spouse or accomplishing any significant life goal. The trick is to reflect upon the journey. Inevitable you will reach your destination, BUT….more often than not life is experienced at its best along the path. If can learn to reflect as part of your personal growth, you will be able to determine what works and what does not. Time is so precious and we all have a limited amount of it. How refreshing would it be to know that you live each and every day with complete and total focus? One thing I know for sure is that you’ll never get there if you never STOP and REFLECT.